This invention concerns a method of producing tissue ingrowth surface on surgical implants.
Until recently, most surgical implants such as prosthetic hip stems were implanted with the aid of bone cement to provide fixation of the implant in its desired location. With such fixation, however, the implant may tend to work loose from the cement, possibly causing failure of the implant or pain and discomfort to the patient. Alternative means of implant fixation have therefore been attempted.
One alternative to cement fixation is the use of certain textures on selected areas of the implant surface to produce tissue ingrowth into these areas and therefore stabilization of the implant. Several patterns for such texturized surfaces can be found in existing metal alloy prosthetic devices. These patterns cannot, however, be readily formed on the surface of polymeric devices by presently employed techniques because of the difference in material properties of, and processing methods employed with, polymeric substances.
It is therefore the primary objective of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive means for preparing desired texturized surfaces on body implants made from polymeric composites or other material systems.